Trollheart

Face value --- Phil Collins --- 1981 (Virgin)


The man you love to hate, it was certainly the case for me with Phil Collins' first album. Having listened to it the once and thinking in disappointment it's nothing like Genesis, I put it away, and it was some time before I fished it out again. Second time around, I could see the merit in it.

At its heart, "Face value" is a stark, morose album, as you might expect from a man who was going through his first divorce. Of course, we all know the big hit "In the air tonight", but my favourite track is the jazzy sax-driven ballad "If leaving me is easy". Just magical.

I also hated the oversaturation of brass and jazz influences on tracks like "I missed again" and "This must be love", and I really didn't (and don't) like his version of Genesis' "Behind the lines". But then there's the likes of the desperate, tragic "The roof is leaking" or the contemplative "You know what I mean" to balance those out.

Not a perfect debut, but on subsequent listens, I grew to recognise how hard it must have been, to bare your soul to the world, and hope it understood. It did.

TRACKLISTING

1. In the air tonight
2. This must be love
3. Behind the lines
4. The roof is leaking
5. Hand in hand
6. Droned
7. I missed again
8. You know what I mean
9. Thunder and lightning
10. I'm not moving
11. If leaving me is easy
12. Tomorrow never knows

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